Strangers Waiting
by RikaToruh
Summary: Katara and Zuko are both lost emotionally. When they cross paths, at two different times, how will they change each other? Zutara, AU, WW2, zuko solider katara nurse


POSSIBLE TITLES:

Strangers Waiting

Summary: AU World War Two Era, Zutara, Katara and Zuko both feel lonely and empty. When their paths cross, at two different times, will they find what they've been missing?

A/N: My First Zutara ever. Song: Don't Stop Believing by Journey.

ATLA

**--X-X--**

_Just a small town girl,_

"A message, for a Miss Katara."

_Living in a lonely world,_

"If your reading this, it means something bad has happened to us. Don't feel regret. Everything happens for a reason."

_She took the midnight train going anywhere,_

"Toph. Sokka and my dad are…are…"

**--X-X--**

Just a city boy,

"What's troubling you Ursa?"

"Ozai…Zuko's gone."

_Born and raised in South Detroit,_

"I know this is right. Please don't worry about me. It's something I must do."

_He took the midnight train going anywhere,_

"I've gone to join the Army."

**--X-X--**

Toph closed her visionless eyes and sighed unsteadily. "Katara. I…don't understand. Why do you have to leave?"

Katara looked at her best friend. "You know Toph. Please don't make this harder than it is already."

"But Katara, I…I've already lost Sokka! And now you're leaving too! I just…" A tear ran down her pale cheek. "Stay. Please."

Katara squeezed her eyes shut. She'd already cried so much these past few weeks. There was a whistle, a train's whistle. It sounded so distant. The people shuffling around her had become a blur, as if everyone was moving faster than her. She didn't want to leave Toph, her home, the place she grew up but…she knew it was meant to be. Her purpose wasn't…wasn't at home. She had to go make a difference. She couldn't forget those five words from the letter. 'Everything happens for a reason'. Losing her father and brother had put her alone in the world. Nothing tying her home except… The tears fell from her eyes. …Except her best friend Toph.

Toph's small body crashed with her's. Short, heavy, gasping sobs poured tears into Katara's dress. "Katara, I-I know you h-have to do th-this. Be-be a g-good n-nurse. I kn-know you w-will."

Katara's own silent tears wetted her face. "I think it's my calling Toph." She stroked her friend's hair. "I'll write. All the time. I promise, I won't forget you."

Toph loosened her grip. "Nor I you." She smiled up at her friend and wiped her eyes. "We'll see each other again. This war will be over soon."

The pair seemed to catch back up with Time. The whistle sounded again and Katara lifted her suitcase. "You're an amazing person, Toph. There's someone out there for you besides Sokka. Keep your spirits high. I'll miss you."

Toph backed away from the station platform as Katara boarded the train. "Good Luck, Katara" she called softly.

**--X-X--**

Two days on the road. One spent on foot, the other on train. Zuko was emotionally lost. He felt something was…missing. Something was empty; he was hoping the army would help him find it.

He knew that his parents and sister wouldn't take his leaving well. He wanted them to understand, but he was sure they wouldn't, running away seemed to be the only option. He was rich. Rich and spoiled, and just of marrying age. 18 and confused. They'd want him to court some prissy girl and settle down. Take over the family coalmines and run them like a tyrant. Like father, like son. But he didn't want to be his father. He wanted…to be…to be Zuko. But he wasn't quite sure who that was yet. They'd be looking for him, their only son. He boarded the train in a small town, far from his home.

The train ride was endless, heading for the state's military base, Zuko was anxious, bored, tired and scared, one big mess of emotions. He headed for the common room, seeking entertainment, food and some alcohol. He needed to drink away his dreams, second-guessing what he was doing and…_why._

**--X-X--**

_Singin' in a smokey room,_

A small jazz band, suffocating second hand smoke and a worn out old table.

_A smell of wine and cheap perfume,_

"Give me the strongest you've got. I need to think some things over."

_For a while, they can share the night,_

A pair of genuine, sparkling blue eyes. "Can I join you?"

_It goes on and on and on and on,_

A drowsy head nod. "I'd be honored."

**--X-X--**

Her hair was curled slightly, swept up on top of her head.

He was half-drunk, appreciating any human company.

She needed someone to talk to; her night had been sleepless and uncomfortable.

He needed to find himself. He needed guidance. He needed an angel.

They both found what they were looking for.

**--X-X-- **

_Strangers, Waiting, _

They sat silently together, listening to the music, though neither was interested.

His eyes were fixed on her, trying to memorize every detail. She'd feel his eyes and turn around, looking at him, looking at her.

Their eyes would meet, for a second, then both sets would divert, looking away.

_Strangers, Waiting,_

"Can I ask you something?"

His eyes scanned her, looking for emotions on her face. "Of course."

She smiled, her soft cheeks forming dimples. "Where're you headed?"

Another swig of his drink accompanied his answer, "Would you believe, the Military Base."

She nodded. "I'm making my way to nursing school. It's my…newfound passion."

"That's…inspiring."

The jazz music stopped abruptly. An announcement was heard, "We're approaching our next stop, and it's close to midnight. Prepare to exit if you're getting off here."

"That's mine." They both said the same thing, same time.

It was then they each noticed the others luggage.

_Up and down the boulevard,_

He'd found his angel, the one who could help him find himself. She was even an aspiring medic; there was no one better. He couldn't lose her just yet, "Can I help you find an inn?"

_Their shadows, searching in the night,_

"That'd be nice."

They exited the train together, both with a fresh happiness.

Zuko looked to his side, a beautiful girl stood there. A sight he wasn't used to. An angel, someone to guide him on his journey to himself.

_Streetlights, people,_

He walked straight ahead, weaving through crowds of families being reunited. He'd expected that she was following him. But when he turned around, smiling at her, she

_Hiding somewhere in the night,_

Was gone.

**--X-X--**

_Don't stop believing,_

Zuko's angel was gone, out there somewhere.

_Hold on to that feeling,_

Through training and being shipped off to Germany,

Streetlights, people

He knew if he got of this damn war alive, he'd find her.

_Hold on that feeling,_

Katara was still unsure of what had happened that night,

_Working hard to get my fill,_

She was following her stranger at one moment and…the next…

_Everybody wants a thrill,_

He was out of her sight. Lost in a crowd of people, missing.

_Payin' anything to roll the dice, just one more time,_

Of course she wondered about him, on and off, every now and again. She wondered what would've happened if they'd gotten to know each other better. She never even learned his name. She just knew of his scorned face, the gloomy red being a constant blemish on the left side of his face. She remembered his black hair, shaggy, hanging in his face. She went on with her aspiration, nursing. She quickly aced her way through school and offered her services to the U.S. Army.

**--X-X--**

_Some will win, _

He was to be discharged in a week, one week and he was out of hell. He felt like a new person, better than he was before. There were moments he'd just wanted to give up, throw in the towel and surrender himself to loss, to death. But there was one thing keeping him going, dragging his limp body on. He wanted to get out of this war and find her. Find what had helped him change, helped him become a better Zuko.

He was to be discharged in a week,

_Some will lose,_

And then injury struck. He was shot in the upper part of his leg, a blind-shot from behind. A fighter plane, somewhere in the dark emptiness of the midnight sky.

_Some of 'um just sing the blues,_

5 months. 5 months for a recovery. A recovery in which he was told he would live, but no one would know if he would be able to walk again. Out of hell and right back in again.

_Oh the movie never ends it goes on and on and on and on,_

His eyelids rose, wakening himself for the first time in nearly four days.

_Strangers, Waiting,_

There sat an angel waiting for him.

Three days after he was out of the operating room and there were times she still couldn't help but stop and…stare. This man, lonely in a room of empty cots, was her stranger. Her stranger, _the_ stranger, the one she followed so blindly into a crowd…and lost. The one who'd affected her life, who she'd met quickly and lost just as soon.

Noticing his eyes flick open, she rose off the bed, brushing her hands on her apron. She gave a small nod, knowing he probably wouldn't remember her after seeing so much at war, and briskly walked away.

But Zuko remembered. He remembered the slight curl to her hair, the way her soft cheeks dimpled, and her blue, innocent eyes, pure and full of hope.

He remembered his angel.

_Up and down the boulevard, their shadows, searching in the night,_

His lips were cracked and dry, his throat parched. He tried to call after her, his angel, but he had trouble speaking. "Wai-wait."

By the time something came out, she was gone,

_Hiding Somewhere in the night,_

Again, just out of his grasp, disappearing right out from underneath him.

**--X-X--**

Katara knew it was wrong. She couldn't go back there, if she did, she wouldn't be able to leave. There were other patients to think about and she wasn't assigned to him. But…slowly, the amount of patients dwindled. Sixty-five to thirty to eight, and the number of nurses also dwindled. Katara was soon the only left, her and just another doctor, to care for eight patients. It was then she realized that she'd be caring for her stranger…

His name, Zuko.

Zuko was waiting. He knew she'd come back. She must've remembered him, why else would she have been watching over him?

Angels are always with you, in some form or another. She'd materialized near him, yet again giving him the strength to push on. The thought of her twinkling blue eyes inspired him, no matter what the specialist's said, he would walk, live through hell. Difficulties or not, he would. And he knew, in time she would help.

A month passed, four more of recovery to go. A warm Saturday, summer was approaching. He heard news that the American's had won the war and he noticed the amount of wounded in the hospital had gone down. Drastically. He was not surprised when nurses began leaving too. His hopes dropped, had his angel left him?

Approaching the end of month two, his regular nurse left the hospital and he was re-assigned a new one. Someone named, Katara.

He found the name surprisingly beautiful and hoped she would be kind.

**--X-X--**

She knew, he didn't.

**--X-X--**

The day came, the day Katara had to care for her str- for Zuko. Zuko. It was a bold name, seeming to fit someone destined for amazing amounts of power. The stranger she'd met… He appeared…lost, confused, unsure, but definitely not…powerful. He seemed demure, lost.

He was asleep when she got there. She checked his IV and started making notes on a clipboard.

There was a grunt from the bed, she turned her back and continued writing.

She heard a whisper. "Are you…Katara?"

She sighed. "Yes. But it's Nurse Katara please."

She side-glanced at him, his eyes drifted open.

Topaz locked in with a sky-blue. "My…angel." He murmured.

She looked up from her clipboard. "What?"

"My! Angles!"

She wrote, 'Slightly deranged, Medicine may be too intense'. "I repeat, what?"

Zuko laughed uncomfortably. "Heh. Heh. I've…always loved …math."

"That's great. Did you join the army to help get into a decent university?" As a nurse Katara tried to be friendly.  
"Uh…right. Yeah. That's it."

Katara abruptly sat her clipboard down on the nightstand. A clack echoed through the hall. "I'm just going to throw something out there Mr. Sozin. Something that's been bothering me for nearly three months."

Zuko raised an eyebrow, curious. "Really?"  
Katara pressed her lips together, staring at him.

He stared back. "What is it? I'm open for anything."

"Do you…"

Katara shook her head and ran from the room.

The hopeful look on Zuko's face slumped, he was now thoroughly confused.

Katara didn't want to know. She didn't want to know if he'd forgotten her or not. Because…because if he had it could very well break her heart. She'd known him for a matter of minutes, but still. Something…something about him touched her soul. She wasn't sure what…but it affected her.

She wiped the tears from either side of her face, splashing water up from the sink, calming splotchy redness.

She walked back to the patient and continued the routine daily procedure. Blood pressure, heart rate, pulse, reflexes, the usual.

Both were silent, not knowing what to say.

_Don't stop believing,_

Zuko looked up at her, making sure he locked his eyes in with hers.

_Hold on to that feeling,_

"I need to tell you something,

Streetlights, People

I'm not sure what you were going to ask me before…but,

_Don't stop believing,_

I wanted to let you know. I remembered you. You kept me going, you've been my angel."

_Hold on,_

"I…what?"

Streetlights, People

"The doctor told me today…my Condition is much more serious than anyone thought. The lead from the bullet entered my blood stream…I could die."

_Don't stop believing,_

"Oh, don't even speak like that Zuko."

_Hold on to that feeling,_

A sigh. "I'm sure I'll muddle through. …You called me Zuko."

_Don't stop believing,_

"Why are you telling me this?"

_Don't stop believing,_

"If I don't live… Promise me…you'll be someone else's angel …and…"

_Hold on to that feeling,_

"And if you live…?"

_Just a small town girl, _

_Living in a lonely world,_

_Took the midnight train going anywhere,_

_Just a city boy,_

_Born and raised in south Detroit,_

_Took the midnight train going anywhere,_

"Marry me."

_For a while the can share the night,_

_It goes on and on and on and on,_

"It's a promise."

Strangers, Waiting

"You'll be my angel?"

_Hiding somewhere in the night,_

"I already am."

**--X-X--**

A/N: Zuko's living is implied. He'll live. I wrote it and I say, so there. My first Zutara-ness, I'm still 100 million thousand-katrillion percent behind Kataang, but this was calling me. It had to be done…

I'm planning on writing a one-shot as a sequel-ish thing to this about Toph and how she reacted to Sokka's dieing and funeral…aka…TOKKA! It's also a song-fic; the song is "Just a dream" by Carrie Underwood.

Oh please review! I want to know what you all thinks of me Zutara.

-Mandi (Toruh)


End file.
